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Opportunity for Flyers in tired, Bishop-less Lightning

Carolina Hurricanes v Philadelphia Flyers

PHILADELPHIA, PA - DECEMBER 13: Claude Giroux #28, Wayne Simmonds #17, Jakub Voracek #93, and Brayden Schenn #10 of the Philadelphia Flyers celebrate Voracek’s second period power-play goal against the Carolina Hurricanes on December 13, 2014 at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Flyers went on to defeat the Hurricanes 5-1. (Photo by Len Redkoles/NHLI via Getty Images)

NHLI via Getty Images

With seven points in their last four games, the Philadelphia Flyers have a good opportunity to maintain their positive momentum tonight at home against Tampa Bay.

Which is kind of an odd thing to say, since normally a game against Tampa Bay would be anything but a great chance to put two points in the bank.

“They’re maybe the best team in the league at scoring,” Flyers coach Craig Berube said, per CSN Philly. “They score a lot of goals. They’ve got a fast team. They’re solid all around. They play a very fast game. They may be one of the fastest in the league. They’ve got [Steven] Stamkos on their team. Huge threat.”

But after playing last night in Pittsburgh, and without injured goalie Ben Bishop, and with just two wins in their last seven, the Lightning suddenly seem vulnerable.

“We’re playing some good teams now and it’s not good enough to be able to compete in games, so we have to look ourselves in the mirror,” Stamkos said after last night’s 4-2 loss to the Penguins.

The Flyers dug themselves a deep hole by starting the season 8-13-4. They’re still five points back of a playoff spot. But if they were ever going to get back in the race, they had to start somewhere.

“We go game by game,” forward Jakob Voracek said. “It’s a better story for you guys where we lose two in a row and you guys bury us. We try to find the same lane and try to ride it all season long, but we know what we have in the locker room and we just have to be patient.”